Behind The Podium: Unveiling The Coach

Experience doesn’t make a good coach – it’s insight. On this episode, Jared and Alex sit down with Chet Morjaria, a coach that identifies himself as a connector, communicator, and disruptor. Chet is the founder and head coach of Strength Education Training Systems—an education platform for coaches. Additionally, he started and facilitates Strong Mind Book club—a book club where fitness business owners, coaches, personal trainers, and rehab specialists can have a monthly mind meld. Previously, our guest was an international managing editor of Breaking Muscle magazine. In fact, this guest of ours today is the author of the article Ten Types of Coaches and How to Spot Them, which was the central talking point of our inaugural episode titled “To Be a Motivator or a Technician” We cover: The difference between learning and teaching How coaching is 80% humanistic and 20% mechanics Why coaches should appreciate the subjectivity of everyone’s experience Language and words you should get rid of in your coaching Why

Knowing it all and still being able to see your blind spots are two completely different things. It’s important to maintain a curiosity about your craft while still being close enough to create new cues and tips. Jeff Baldwin is the master of being both the professor and the coach. In this episode, Jared and Alex sit down with Jeff Baldwin, a coach, martial artist, a military man, swimmer, dog lover, motorcyclist, business owner, husband, and rebel against any ONE way. Jeff is the owner and head instructor at Rebellion Martial Arts Academy, which teaches Jeet Kune Do, Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, and the Filipino Martial Arts of Eskrima/Escrima, Arnis, and Kali. He has over 30 years of martial arts training with black belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, and Kempo Karate, and possesses instructor certifications in Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do and Filipino Martial Arts. Jeff also spent 6 years serving in our country’s military in various Ranger, Airborne, and Light Infantry Units. We cover: Why you should

Wisdom is getting answers to questions you’ve never had. If you’ve ever wondered how to help clients when you know you don’t have the skills to solve their issues – Dr. Licata has some ideas to help. We sat down and chatted with Dr. Giancarlo Licata, a Pasadena based Head & Neck Chiropractor, Co-creator of the Pasadena Integrative Community of Health Professionals, Interdisciplinary Concussion specialist, multi-linguist, graduate of UCSD with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in Spanish literature, former guest on The Ricki Lake Show, husband, and father of three. Dr. Licata is one of only 220 doctors in the United States trained in NUCCA (National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association). He is board certified by the National Board and California Board of Chiropractic Examiners and works with individuals with complex challenges to their head and neck. He is also the clinic director at Vital Head & Spinal Care in Pasadena, California. We cover: The importance of surrounding yourself with other

What sets an outstanding coach from just a coach? Is it their ability to teach beyond just the technical skills? On this episode, we sit down with Steph Gaudreau of Stupid Easy Paleo and discuss how to become a masterful coach and teacher. Steph is a coach, former high school biology teacher, weightlifter, chef, author, mountain biker, soccer player, CrossFitter, podcaster, blogger, photographer, nutritionist, wife, cat lover, Twitter romancer, and Lord of the Rings fan. Steph is the creator of the critically acclaimed, widely popular, and OG paleo website Stupid Easy Paleo. Her podcast, Harder to Kill Radio – Forging Unbreakable Humans, brings together the best experts in fitness, nutrition, sleep, and mindset about how to build unbreakable humans. She is the published author of The Paleo Athlete: A Beginner’s Guide to Real Food for Performance, and The Performance Paleo Cookbook: Recipes for Training Harder, Getting Stronger and Gaining the Competitive Edge. Additionally, you can find her coaching Weightlif

How much changes with you and your perspective after becoming a studio owner? We dig into this concept with former guest (and dear friend of the show), Isabelle Barter, who recently opened Stronger Human in Phoenix, Arizona. Isabelle is a coach and movement educator that has an insatiable appetite for continuing education. She is the founder of Stronger Human and Movement is My Medicine, a 200-hr experienced registered yoga teacher, Yoga Tune Up® teacher, Strong First Kettlebell Level 1, Z-Health, Functional Range Conditioning, and the Functional Movement Screen. We cover: Why knowing yourself and how you work best can be invaluable as a business owner When to say yes in a growth phase versus no How to manage being an introvert and business owner What it means to be a Stronger Human How she intakes clients and gathers a history How to know when to delegate Why staff meetings should be considered as “structured playdates” What it means to be modality agnostic and more! For references to everything mentioned

What does it mean to fully embody and live your why on a daily basis? We go behind the podium with Laura Ahrens, a coach, yoga teacher, yoga teacher-trainer, published-audible movement narrator, singer, piano player, harmonium player, graduate of The University of Arts with a bachelor of fine arts, Harry Potter fan, co-owner of a fashion company, recipient of a signature menu item named after her at Whole Heart Provisions in Boston, and an aspiring superhero with the power to re-align parked cars to make more space. Laura holds a 200-hour certification in Hatha Vinyasa, a 200-hour plus advanced certifications in Forrest Yoga, and completed a year-long mentorship under the guidance of Dr. Heidi Sormaz and is currently in her 500-hour yoga therapy training with Sarahjoy Marsh at the DAYA Foundation. Moreover, she co-created The New School of Yogic Arts—a teacher training school for those who want to learn to teach the practice of yoga as a living system that breathes differently in each body. Laura can be found

Today, Jared and Alex go behind the podium with Brian Alexander, a coach, Olympic level water polo athlete, graduate from John F. Kennedy University with a master’s in Sports Psychology, father, husband, a fan of The Big Lebowski and avid wrestler when facing off with his four-year-old son. Brian is the official Mental Skills coach for the USA Water Polo Olympic Development Program and has written articles on sport psychology topics that have been featured on the following websites: Water Polo Planet, Bridge Athletic, and Kap7 International. Brian is also an Association for Applied Sport Psychology certified consultant who runs his own private practice located in the San Diego area where he works with individuals interested in enhancing their mental game so they can become more empowered with psychological skills to be a better version of themselves daily and during high-pressure situations. We cover: What sports psychology is and what it entails The importance of having a mentor the value of waiting, pat

Today, Jared and Alex chat about the last few months of guests, the lessons we’ve learned and some of our favorite moments. If you are a fan of the show, enjoy the stroll down (short-term) memory lane. Newbie? Enjoy the refresher and mentions of some of our previous guests! For references to everything mentioned in this episode, head over to www.behindthepodiumpodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and share with your friends and colleagues! (more…)

Today, Jared and Alex go behind the podium with Kristina Thuaux, a coach, body worker, movement teacher that is infinitely committed to filling her accumulator and clinical efficacy, nature lover, San Diego State University graduate with a BS in kinesiology, insatiable learner, wife, and avid fan of sarcasm. Kristina is the face behind Core Concepts and her qualifications include but are not limited to Anatomy in Motion, Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization, Functional Range Conditioning/Functional Range Release, Neurokinetic Therapy, Trigger Point Therapy, NASM corrective exercise specialist, performance enhancement specialist, and integrated flexibility specialist. We cover: How to assimilate new trainings into working with clients How to have 2 opposing ideas but be at peace with it How to retrain the body into being pain-free The importance of the feet in movement and pain scenarios When to focus on details and when to focus on the movement If you should be training barefoot Why you should be able to exp

Today, Jared and Alex go behind the podium with Dr. C. Shante Cofield, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS, CF-L1, a coach, doctor of physical therapy, soccer player, basketball player, lacrosse player, CrossFitter, rock climber, teacher, movement specialist, insatiable learner, and lover of POKE bowls. Dr. Cofield may be best known as The Movement Maestro on Instagram and she truly is a maestro of her craft—as a clinician, she analyzes the way you move in order to determine the source of your pain in order to treat the problem NOT just the symptoms. When not working with clients one on one, our guest can also be found teaching courses for Rock Tape. We cover: What the title “coach” actually means How we frame things matters Why a PT could really be a movement coach What balance means when you are living your passion Why you should just do you on social media How to utilize breathing in a training or therapeutic setting What blood restriction can be good for Why you should expose yourself to as many things as possible and th

Today, Jared and Alex go behind the podium with Clifton Harski, a coach, fitness mover and shaker, SDSU alum with a degree in kinesiology, former Trader Joe’s employee, ambassador of deep V neck t-shirts and tights or onesies that scream America, ice cream and gummy bear fiend, aspiring ninja, husband, uncle, and brand-new father. Cliff is currently Fitwall’s Director of Training and Head Coach and is an Animal Flow Master instructor, owns his own coaching company, BA Training, teaches workshops for Kettlebell Athletics, and has coached over 1400 people in over 80 workshops for MovNat. We cover: How being entertaining can help you trap and keep your audience’s attention Why all coaches should strive to engage, entertain and be humble Why it’s ok to say you don’t know vs. making stuff up Why we should move away from black and white rules and into more gray area Why finding your context is a good guide for your training Why goal orientated practices can distract you from the practice itself and more! For refe

Today, Jared and Alex go behind the podium with Breia White, a coach, Kundalini yogi, CrossFitter, television editor, cold immersionist, breathing enthusiast, and world traveler. Breia is a Level 4 Pranayama Two-Stage Breath instructor and a Wim Hof Method instructor. We cover: How breathing can help you tap into your physiology How breathing is empowerment How breathing can help you shed the extra baggage you have acquired over a lifetime How breath is the most underutilized tool in our tool box and how to have more days of feeling happy, healthy and whole For references to everything mentioned in this episode, head over to www.behindthepodiumpodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and share with your friends and colleagues! (more…)

Today, Jared and Alex go behind the podium (again) with Dr. Benjamin Ramos, a California native surfer, skateboarding, breakdancer, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitor, and military veteran who served in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Pacific Fleet Operations. He is a doctor of chiropractic medicine and has his master’s of science in exercise. Dr. Ramos s a doctor of chiropractic medicine and has his master’s of science in exercise and sport science and owner of FlowForce Rehab in San Diego, CA. We last talked to Dr. Ramos on Episode 14 and are very happy to have him back. We cover: How all movements/exercises should be safe, productive and sustainable All movement and positions are context specific to the person standing in front of you How there is no specific range that all people will fall into Why movement screens are not as helpful as some may think How protective mechanisms persist even after tissues have healed and more! For references to everything mentioned in this

Today, Jared and Alex go behind the podium with Valerie Hunt, a coach, Weightlifter, aerobics instructor, CrossFitter, business owner, gym owner, Pose Method® running specialist/master coach, Yoga Tune Up® therapy ball user/enthusiast, ice bath dabbler, Wim Hof ambassador, mother, wife, and bulldog lover. Valerie is a veteran of the fitness/strength-conditioning world and currently owns and coaches out of BVM CrossFit in Austin and RunRx, her running mastery and instruction company. Valerie is also a coach of CrossFit HQ’s Pose Method specialty course. We cover: How running is a technical skill that needs to be taught Why balance should always be a part of your programming The moves you should check to see if you (or a client) is ready to run How to help clients see and feel how to run Walking as a skill and why position matters here too Why gravity is a critical component to proper running form For references to everything mentioned in this episode, head over to www.behindthepodiumpodcast.com. If you enjoy

Today, Jared and Alex go behind the podium with Dr. Tim Gerstmar, a coach, naturopathic doctor, blogger, podcaster, business owner, health educator/public speaker, husband, father, and science fiction enthusiast. Dr. Gerstmar has spoken at four Ancestral Health Symposiums and two PaleoFX conferences to share his passion for educating others on the intricacies of health and disease. He founded and treats patients locally and remotely out of his clinic, Aspire Natural Health, in Redmond, WA. Aspire Natural Health specializes in treating gut, autoimmune diseases, and other hard to treat cases that the conventional medical system or other practitioners have been unable to resolve. We cover: Why describing results helps people understand what you do Why you shouldn’t jump on the fad bandwagon How to follow up with clients so that you don’t lose sight of their wants + needs How the overnight successes are really 10 years in the making. Why you should be worried if you think you know everything Why you should have

Today, Jared and Alex go behind the podium with Robb Wolf, a coach, research biochemist, best-selling author, thought leader, health consultant, powerlifter, gymnast, martial artist, podcaster, business owner, father, husband, and aspiring coconut farmer. Robb is one the original trailblazers of the Paleo/ancestral health movement and the sole individual that birthed its prominence within the CrossFit space. He not only was a part of the team that started the 1st CrossFit affiliate gym but, subsequently, he and his wife went on to open the 4th CrossFit affiliate now known as NorCal Strength and Conditioning. Robb is the best-selling author of The Paleo Solution, and the newly published Wired to Eat. We cover: How to ask the right questions with new clients to start them off in the right direction How saying less can be better than over coaching How research requires observation – why are we afraid to test things out? How to be valuable to the people around you For references to everything mentioned in thi

Today, Jared and Alex go behind the podium with Keith Wittenstein, a coach who has an eclectic source of experience within the realms of fitness, multi-modal movement-training, mobility, and injury/pain recovery and management. Keith is well versed in CrossFit, vinyasa yoga, Yoga Tune Up®, gymnastics, kettlebells, Olympic Weightlifting, and Jiu Jitsu and takes great pride in being a coach’s coach. He is a veteran member of the CrossFit Level 1 Seminar Staff and leads CrossFit specialty seminars on kettlebells, gymnastics, and Olympic Weightlifting. We cover: How to navigate all the conflicting information on the internet There’s never a single path to the same end point How to approach new things with a beginner’s mind and much more! For references to everything mentioned in this episode, head over to www.behindthepodiumpodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and share with your friends and colleagues! (more…)

Today, Jared and Alex go behind the podium (again) with Amy Mantis, a musician based in Boston. Amy joins us to talk about her band, Space Between and their new EP Where the Mountain Should Be. We cover: The release of her new EP and the process of following a large scale project from idea to completion Why you have to love what you do to get through the work How to craft the perfect personal pitch How we are always our own worst critic Why you should never stop exploring your art For references to everything mentioned in this episode, head over to www.behindthepodiumpodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and share with your friends and colleagues! (more…)

Today, Jared and Alex go behind the podium with Kelly Starrett – a coach, physical therapist, best-selling author, thought leader, surfer, paddler, Olympic Lifter, Power-Lifter, CrossFitter, dancer, science fiction lover, podcaster, father, husband, business owner, and ambassador of SUPPLENESS. Kelly has revolutionized, democratized, and mobilized the public’s understanding and ability to perform basic maintenance on themselves, so they can improve their performance and eliminate pain. He wants YOU to be as user proficient with your body’s machinery as you are with your smartphone. Kelly is also the best-selling author of Becoming a Supple Leopard, Ready to Run, and Deskbound. We cover: The importance of giving credit where credit is due If you want to go fast, go by yourself – if you want to go far, take someone with you How we need to continue to be in service of the coaches and athletes we serve What the cue “knees out” really means How you should approach all aspects of your business with the goal of s

Today, Jared and Alex go behind the podium on being accountable for yourself and your clients. We cover: Maintaining control of your classroom Motivating clients who may not be interested in doing “deep work” Creating accountability both during and after the session What is the place of a group class? For references to everything mentioned in this episode, head over to www.behindthepodiumpodcast.com. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and share with your friends and colleagues! (more…)